Caed Nua

Caed Nua
Part of the Stronghold in a restored state.
General
Type	Stronghold
Exits	World Map Endless Paths of Od Nua Black Meadow Woodend Plains
Buildings	Artificer's Hall Brighthollow Chapel Craft Hall Curio shop Main Keep Warden's Lodge
Point of Interest	Hedge Maze Training grounds Merchant Stalls Forum
Other
Side Quests	The Old Watcher
Technical
Internal Name	AR_0601_Stronghold_Exterior
Loading Screen
File:Lsc caed nua 01.jpg

The Caed Nua stronghold is located in the Eastern Reach, north of Defiance Bay. It is directly above the Endless Paths of Od Nua. In Pillars of Eternity, Relatively early in their adventure, the player is awarded a stronghold and house. The Stronghold then becomes the common rally point for their companions and a domain to manage.

They can use this as a base of operations for storage, rest, organization and investment as they desire. The stronghold also has a unique play mechanic surrounding the allocation of resources. This is geared toward making the stronghold a profitable side-venture for the characters. The Stronghold provides the player with the ability to make large scale changes, undertake special quests, customize the contents of the stronghold and the surrounding environment, and engage in light strategic gameplay between adventures.

Management

When the player comes into possession of the stronghold, it is old and dilapidated, and they will want to work with their steward to upgrade it as soon as they can. These upgrades will, in turn, increase security or prestige of the place, open up new activities and events that can happen, which will make the stronghold a dynamic and fun place to own. You can further influence it by employing hirelings to stay at your stronghold.

You can begin collecting taxes from your populace as soon as you gain the stronghold. The amount of taxes you collect increases with your prestige (because people know of you and like you), but the amount also increases with higher security, since some taxes are lost to banditry. Additionally, security helps reduce the number of "bad" random events, while prestige increases the number of "good" random events. You will want to keep both of those values high.

Rating summary

• Security – reduces the taxes you lose to banditry and the frequency of “bad” random events.
• Prestige – increases the taxes you collect and the frequency of “good” random events.

Upgrades

The stronghold and house can be restored and upgraded to increase its aesthetic and practical value. Upgrades are useful in that they can unlock a number of fringe benefits. Most upgrades in some way impact either the Prestige or Security of the place. These traits are all-important in determining the success of unexpected events. Other upgrades offer additional buffs to your characters' traits, which are useful in the field.

All such upgrades cost both money and in-game time to build but you don't have to wait at the stronghold while they are built. You can continue adventuring, and you will be notified when they are built. Upgrades can also serve as prerequisites for other upgrades. Individual sections of the stronghold get upgraded individually and each section has two states, ruined and restored.

Name	Bonus	Prestige	Security	Cost	Build Time
Training grounds	Might resting bonus	+ 0	+ 2	1500 cp	2 days
Library	Lore resting bonus	+ 2	+ 0	900 cp	2 days
Forum	Intellect resting bonus	+ 4	+ 0	1200 cp	2 days
Hedge Maze	Stealth resting bonus	+ 0	+ 3	1400 cp	2 days
Botanical gardens	creates plants every turn	+ 1	+ 0	1800 cp	2 days
Curio shop	produces creature parts every turn	+ 1	+ 0	1800 cp	2 days
Dungeons	you can take certain NPCs as prisoners	+ 0	+ 0	1200 cp	3 days
Bailey	needed to build the Training grounds.	+ 2	+ 0	800 cp	2 days
Barracks	needed to hire hirelings.	+ 0	+ 3	2000 cp	3 days
Warden's Lodge	Survival resting bonus and bounties	+ 2	+ 2	1000 cp	2 days
Artificier's Hall	Mechanics resting bonus	+ 1	+ 0	1600 cp	2 days
Craft Hall	Dexterity resting bonus	+ 1	+ 1	1600 cp	2 days
Chapel	Resolve resting bonus	+ 4	+ 0	2000 cp	2 days
Training grounds	Might resting bonus	+ 0	+ 2	1500 cp	2 days
Towers	Perception resting bonus	+ 2	+ 1	800 cp	3 days
Woodland Trails	Athletics and Constitution resting bonus	+ 1	+ 2	1500 cp	3 days
West Curtain Wall	Protection from the west	+ 0	+ 4	2500 cp	4 days
South Curtain Wall	Protection from the south	+ 0	+ 4	2500 cp	4 days
Main Keep	needed for visitors and adventures	+ 3	+ 4
Brighthollow Restoration	needed for resting	+ 2	+ 0	500 cp	2 days
Eastern Barbican	Bars passage to Woodend Plains	+ 1	+ 2	Free	Instantly
Western Barbican	Bars passage to Isce Ien River	+ 0	+ 2	900 cp	3 days
Merchant Stalls	Access to a merchant	+ 0	+ 0	1400 cp	2 days
Brighthollow Courtyard Pool	Repair pool	+ 1	+ 0	600 cp	1 day
Brighthollow Hearth	Restore order to the keep	+ 1	+ 0	600 cp	1 day
Brighthollow Lab	Restore lab	+ 1	+ 0	600 cp	1 day

Benefits of upgrading

There are five bonuses you will receive for getting and upgrading your stronghold.

• Resting bonuses – Several of the upgrades to your stronghold will grant temporary bonuses to your attributes or skills when you rest in Brighthollow.
• Adventures for idle companions – Companions that are recruited but aren't in the party will remain at your stronghold and gain a fractional amount of experience (typically about 75%). While they are idling away at the stronghold, they can take part in their own adventures, earning additional experience for themselves and extra money, items and reputation bonuses for you. If a player uses the stronghold system to manage characters when they aren't in the party, they can have full XP parity if the player wants them to.
• Merchants - Some of the upgrades host merchants.
• Ingredients – Some of the upgrades will generate ingredients used for crafting and enchantment.
• Special offers – Sometimes visitors to your stronghold will have rare items for sale, or perhaps they will offer you items in return for something else.
• Security - Most of the upgrades improve the security of the stronghold, protecting your wealth and residents.
• Wealth – You own all of the surrounding lands near the stronghold and impose a tax on all of the inhabitants, but the tax isn't an endless source of income.

Hirelings

Once the player has restored the Barracks in the keep, they can hire up to eight hirelings that can add to the stronghold's Security and Prestige. They can also be used to provide aid to supplicants and to help defend the stronghold during an attack. The player always pre-pays for the services of hirelings for a fixed period of time. Some hirelings will automatically leave after their pay-period is up. If the player cannot pay for the services of a hireling, the most expensive hirelings no longer apply their bonuses to the stronghold. The player has to either find the funds or dismiss the hireling to make use of that slot.

Some hirelings of varying classes are constantly available as a standard. Guest hirelings are available as a result of special events and the player's faction reputations. Their availability at the house may only be for a limited time, or their loyalty might be contingent on the player’s continued good graces with a particular faction.

Given the extreme personalities of some guest hirelings, their bonuses tend to be higher than that of the standard. In some cases, however, their positive bonus in one attribute can come with an added penalty to another. Select hirelings with budget and a healthy balance of Prestige and Security in mind.

Hireling	Source	Class	Cost per day	Security	Prestige
Berathite Cleric	Common	Priest	10cp	+1	+1
Blooded Thug	Common		10cp	+1	+1
Goldpact Knight	Common	Paladin	10cp	+2
Mercenary Mindstriker	Common		10cp		+2
Orderless Disciple	Common	Monk	10cp	+2
Rauatai Linebreaker	Common		10cp	+2
Skirmish Archer	Common		10cp	+1	+1
Vagabond Skald	Common	Chanter	10cp		+2
Vailian Shock Mage	Common	Wizard	10cp	+2
Vanguard Soldier	Common		10cp	+1	+1
Warden of the Wilds	Common		10cp	+2
Aedyran Noble Women	Guest		200cp		+6
Brutish Warrior	Guest	Barbarian	50cp	+2	+3
Dunryd Psion	Guest	Cipher	100cp	+2	-2
Fellow of St. Waidwen	Guest	Paladin	90cp	+3	+1
Glanfathan Soul Hunter	Guest	Cipher	100cp	+3	+2
Vicious War Criminal	Guest	Fighter	350cp	+3	-4
Aldwyn	Salty Mast Brothel		10cp		+2
Big Durmsey	Salty Mast Brothel		10cp		+2
Gjefa	Salty Mast Brothel		10cp		+2
Iqali	Salty Mast Brothel		10cp		+2
Lyrinia	Salty Mast Brothel		10cp		+2
Orico	Salty Mast Brothel		10cp		+2
Fampyr	The Champion of Berath		20cp	+5	-3
Crucible Chevalier	Winds of Steel	Paladin	20cp	+2	+4
Doemenel Thief	The Changing of the Guard	Rogue	20cp	+4	+2
Dozens Mercenary Captain	The Bronze Beneath the Lake	Fighter	20cp	+3	+3
Avenger of Skaen	Blood Legacy	Priest	65cp	+3	-2
Korgrak	A Farmer's Plight	Ogre	50cp	+6	-6

Random Events

After getting the stronghold, over time, there is a chance for unexpected events to take place at the stronghold. The events are partially dictated by the Prestige and Security of the house, its purchased upgrades, and hirelings in the player's employ. When a random event occurs, you will be told regardless of whether or not you are physically there. Sometimes, you will need to deal with the event immediately, but usually you are given some time to decide what to do.

Visitors

The most common event at your stronghold is having a visitor arrive. There are all kinds of visitors, but they all share one thing. They can adjust your prestige and/or security just by being at your stronghold.

• Some visitors give good bonuses and some of these visitors can even be employed as hirelings and will stay on as long as you pay them.
• Others are not so great, and you can pay them to leave, or get of your unassigned companions to act as an escort to their next location (making the companion unavailable for a time).
• Some visitors will offer rare items for sale, and some might even offer a very rare item in exchange for one of the prisoners in your dungeon. Items acquired this way can be found in the treasure chest in the Main Keep.

If Visitors die during their stay, the stronghold suffers a Prestige penalty for a while.

Visitor	Requirements	Effect	Resolution
Bad Visitors
Cruel Lord		-3 prestige -2 security
Town Drunk		-2 prestige
Wanted Criminal
Gafol the Drunkard		-2 prestige	Pay his debt (1200 cp) → Dyrford Village: Minor Positive. Send him to Bellasege to help in research. Simply send him away. Hang him → -2 prestige. Have Zahua help → Gafol quit drinking, discover drugs and start a new life.
Lord Byrnwigar			Send Aloth to Byrnwigar's keep to warn people, lie to him → +2 prestige, Aloth busy for 6 days. Send Devil of Caroc to "take care" of him quietly → +1 prestige, +1 security. Ask what the peasants have been saying, then recommend benevolence. Option 1 → Nothing. Ask what the peasants have been saying, then recommend benevolence. Option 2 → +1 prestige. Ask what the peasants have been saying, then recommend diplomacy (Diplomatic 2 required) → +1 prestige. Pay him to hire security (700cp) → +1 security. Hang him → -3 prestige.
Nyry the Deft Hand			Help escape (1000 cp) → Cape of Cheat and Potion of Power. Help escape with Doemenel(need Rank 3 positive reputation) → Cape of Cheat and Potion of Power. Tell her to turn herself in → +1 prestige. Hang her → +1 prestige. Kick out.
Solmar the Shackler			Suggest him to continue on coast. Suggest him to dock at New Heomar(Lore 4). Buy his slave(5000 cp), then free them(Benevolent) or sell them again(6000 cp). Help him sell slave to Knights of the Crucible, The Dozens, or House Doemenel(need positive reputation). Send Hiravias to free slave, lie to him.
Prestigious Visitors
Aedyran Dignitary
War Hero
Odeyna Fyrgest		+5 prestige +5 security	Let her stay → Odeyna Fyrgest stays at keep longer. Pay 5000 gold → +1 prestige Ask Dozen to back off (Requires Dozen positive 2) → nothing You shouldn't hide from your past → nothing or -1 prestige. Have Eder or Mahena help → +1 prestige.
Wealthy Lord		+6 prestige
Berolt		+3 prestige +2 security	Give him suggestion. Make him safe passage: 2000cp, or Twin Elms positive 2 → +1 prestige Make him safe passage: Aggressive 2 → ? Have someone escort him: Hiravias, Sagani busy for 6 days
Lord Sidroc		+3 prestige	Encourage him to make a stand: Survival 5 Encourage him to make a stand: Knights of the Crucible 2 Offer to send letters to rivals: → +3 prestige for 7 days, 11 hours Have the rivals dealt with: Aloth busy for 7 days Send Devil of Caroc to "help" → Get 1000cp, but Sidroc and his guards die.
Prisoner Requests
Geyda		none	sell her all prisoners → 500cp (1000cp with Resolve 16) give her all prisoners for free → nothing tell her to use vessels in Esternwood or Heritage Hill and give her 2000 cp → +1 prestige tell her to use vessels in Esternwood or Heritage Hill and send Eder to help: Eder busy for 4 days tell her to use animals in Magran's Fork and Black Meadow and give her 2000 cp → +1 prestige tell her to use animals/vessels and give her nothing → ?? send Devil of Caroc to kill her and destroy her research → ?? send Aloth to destroy her research → ??
Family Request
Experiments Request
Slaver Request
Rare Item Merchants
Art Dealer
Vailian Merchant
Exotic Wares Merchant
Azzuro			Insure the delivery of goods: -5,000cp -> ? Aggressive [2] -> ? Send Edér, Pallegina, Sagani to guard caravans: companion busy for 10 days -> ?
Supplicants

Adventures

After the Great Hall is restored, each turn there's a chance of an off-screen adventure becoming available through the stronghold management interface. Unlike quests, you cannot resolve these yourself - you must assign one of your idle companions to complete the adventure, making them unavailable for the specified number of turns.

If you don't assign anyone to it, the adventure disappears after a limited time. Once you've assign a companion to it, recalling them prematurely cancels the adventure and forfeits any rewards that would have been earned. If the adventure is completed, money and item rewards from the adventure are placed in the treasury chest of the Great Hall, and the companion who was assigned gets additional XP (not shared with the party).

The adventures you can get, are:

Adventure	Unique item	Additional rewards
Minor (1 turn) 2d50+Prestige > 25
A Court of Spirits	Belt of Chimes	15% XP, 150-300 cp
A Forgotten Hollow	Wyrwood Ring	15% XP
Black Waters, Broken Tombs	ycg Br Tomb Fragment	15% XP
Clerical Errors	St. Borragia's Tears	15% XP, 150-350 cp
Sacred Skin	Greenstained Boots	15% XP, minor item
The Ivory Horn	The Nautilus of Or-Grammon	15% XP, 150-300 cp
The Night Mirror	Night Mirror Fragment	15% XP
The Sky Breaker	Rod of Wind and Thunder	15% XP, minor item
Witch's Walk	The Witch's Hat	15% XP
Minor Adventure	-	one of: 5% XP, minor item, 150-300 cp, minor reputation bonus
Average (2 turns) 2d50+Prestige > 50
A Wreath of Ashes	Remembrance Ashes	15% XP, minor item, 150-300 cp
Bound and Buried	Binding Rope	15% XP, minor item, 150-300 cp
Skulls for Mother	Father's Teeth	15% XP, 150-300 cp
Still as Stones	Mossy Rock × 5	15% XP, minor item, 150-300 cp
The Mourning Circle	Mourning Gloves	15% XP, 150-300 cp
The Page Unturned	The Blind Monk's Venom	15% XP, minor item
The Weaver's Song	Cloak of Comfort	15% XP, 2 minor items, 150-300 cp
To the Waterline	Iverra's Diving Helmet	15% XP, 150-300 cp
Average Adventure	-	two of: 10% XP, average item, 150-300 cp, average reputation bonus
Major (3 turns) 2d50+Prestige > 75
A Curse of Cold Clay	Remembrance of Life's Warmth	25% XP, average item, 500-1000 cp
A Whistling in the Reeds	Red Reed Wand	25% XP, average item, 500-1000 cp
Ring Finger	Nîdhen's Finger	25% XP, 500-1000 cp
St. Ifen's Knot	Ifen's Cradle	25% XP, minor item, 500-1000 cp
The Celebrant's Dirge	Celebrant's Gloves	25% XP, average item, 500-1000 cp
The Unworn Path	Patchwork Boots	25% XP, average item
What the Well Holds	Swaddling Sheet	25% XP, 300-750 cp
Major Adventure	-	two of: 15% XP, average item, 500-1000 cp, average reputation bonus
Grand (4 turns) 2d50+Prestige > 100
A Place of Great Silence	The Looking-Inward Chime	35% XP, major item, 750-2000 cp
Lavender and Lye	Lavender Wreath	35% XP, major item, 1-2 average items
Lovers' Light	Copper Lover's Ring, Silver Lover's Ring	35% XP
The Crossed Eye	Crossed Patch	35% XP, major item, average item, 750-2000 cp
The Wax Maker	The Helwax Mold	35% XP, major item, 750-2000 cp
They Who Woke the Stars	Constellated Cloak	35% XP, major item
Grand Adventure	-	two of: 20% XP, major item, 2 average items, 750-2000 cp, major reputation bonus
Legendary (5 turns) 2d50+Prestige > 125
A Solitary Mark	Marked Amulet	50% XP, grand item, major item, 1000-3000 cp
At the Edge of All Known Things	Amaia's Codex	50% XP, grand item, major item, 1000-3000 cp
Liminal Spaces	Ethereal Helm	50% XP, grand item, 1-2 major items, 1000-3000 cp
The Coal Eater	Blighted Coals	50% XP, grand item, major item, 1000-3000 cp
The Glass Tree	Glittering Gauntlets	50% XP, grand item, major item, 1000-3000 cp
Legendary Adventure	-	three of: 25% XP, grand item, 2 major items, 3 average items, 1000-3000 cp, grand reputation bonus

Which adventures you get, is determined as follows:

1. Each turn, the game rolls for an event.
2. If that event is Adventure (and you don't already have an active adventure), then the game rolls two random numbers between between 1 and 50, adds them to the stronghold's current Prestige number, and uses this sum to determine the adventure category:

   2d50 + prestige	Adventure category
   1-25	Tough luck, no adventure!
   26-50	Minor
   51-75	Average
   76-100	Major
   101-125	Grand
   126+	Legendary

3. From the selected category, a random adventure is picked that hasn't been picked already. (You need to exhaust all unique adventures in one category to get a generic adventure.)

Attacks

Attacks are the most potentially dangerous of all stronghold events. Occasionally troublemakers (of various sorts) will decide to attack your castle. You will be warned ahead of time of any such attack, and are presented with three choices:

1. Manual Resolve: Your party and hirelings battle the invaders. If you are not at your stronghold, you must return before you can select this option. This option usually results in the best outcome, although some of your hirelings may be killed.
2. Auto-Resolve: Your hirelings battle the invaders without you. This usually results in the destruction of parts of your stronghold, which you will then have to rebuild, expending time and money. In the meantime, you lose their benefits.
3. You can ignore the warning. If you continue to ignore it until the time runs out, an auto-resolve will happen.

Attack losses and frequency decrease with higher security. The threat of attacks is the most important reason to keep your security level as high as you can afford.

Map Data

Enemies

Before completing The Old Watcher, Caed Nua is infested with a number of spirits impeding progress further in the keep.

• Shadow
• Phantom
• Will O'Wisp
• Flame Blight
  • Small Flame Blight

Notable Loot

• Whispers of Yenwood - In a vase in the main keep.

Plants

• Dyrcap
• Skaenbone x2

Historical notes

• The Stronghold was a reward for the Kickstarter campaign reaching the $3.0 million stretch goal.

Gallery

• Stronghold barracks map.jpg

  Map of the Barracks in ruined state

• Stronghold warden lodge map.jpg

  Map of the Warden's Lodge in ruined state

• Stronghold great hall map.jpg

  Map of the Great Hall in ruined state

• Stronghold-map.jpg

  Map of the Stronghold in ruined state